Collectors Gene Radio

On the mic with me today are the Olive Ateliers trio of founders, Laura, Kendall, & Ben. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ve seen that their meteoric rise in the realm of vintage and curated design has been nothing short of remarkable. From their humble beginnings out of their backyards to establishing a thriving in-person and online presence, they’ve navigated the landscape of collectin...

Today I’m sitting down with ESPN and Sportscenter anchor Gary Striewski to discuss all things watch collecting. Gary got the bug early on when he noticed his father wearing a gold Seiko with his army fatigues and never got that image out of his head. Fast forward and as Gary’s career started to pave its way, so did his watch collection. He’s the guy you want representing your brand, simply because...

Today I’m sitting down with Ray Azoulay, founder of Obsolete, one of the most well known and coveted antique furniture stores around. Ray got his start in the fashion world, ultimately becoming a director at Macy’s & Liz Clairborne. He made the decision to buy 40 acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and started collecting furniture, art, and photography. Ray’s always had a good eye, so he decid...

Today I’m in East Hampton, New York to sit down with arguably one of the greatest collectors of all time. In fact, his career has revolved around collecting as the Head of Vintage, now consultant, for Ralph Lauren and we can attribute our love for western and layered looks to him. Doug Bihlmaier is my guest today, and for his first ever video interview and podcast, I was more than thrilled to sit...

Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful is my guest today. The Shark Tank star and collector truly needs no introduction. He’s become a collector extraordinaire getting the stamp of approval from envy-worthy brands and artisans ranging from Simon Brette and FP Journe, to Fender & Montblanc. We talk about the importance of relationship building, the nuances between all the things he collects, and how b...

Today I’m sitting down with Goldin Auctions founder and The King Of Collectibles Netflix star, Ken Goldin. Ken and his company Goldin Auctions have been highly regarded for a long time as the go-to auction house for sports memorabilia, and more recently getting acquainted in other spaces like pop-culture and historical artifacts. But Ken and his team have staked their flag as a go-to for a reason....

Sitting down with me today is artist and designer Josh Young. Josh’s new book, Artful Home just launched and it’s a masterclass in authenticity. He’s been collecting and curating since he was 5 years old, and growing up next to a small auction house didn’t hurt either. After studying art in Milan, Josh garnered the art of mixing old and new. His neo-classical meets contemporary portraiture became...

Today we’re hearing from plant designer and rare plant collector, Rob Moffitt. He founded his company Haus Plant just a few short years ago, on the rare occasion that he didn’t previously collect plants at all. Fast forward a few years and Rob’s a go-to in the plant design world, sourcing and collecting rare plants for some of the biggest interior design projects. These aren’t just your typical nu...

Jason Saft is my guest today, and as the proprietor behind the award winning firm, Staged To Sell Home, it’s not often I get to chat with a collector whose job is to well, collect. Jason’s company Staged To Sell home is responsible for helping sell some of New Yorks most prominent real estate. His firm has risen to fame for their beautifully staged interiors, good enough for New York's wealthiest...

Artist Michael McGregor joined me today, right on the heels of launching his new book, Room Service, a collection of still life drawings on hotel stationary. We spoke about soaking up inspiration from everyday objects, and why it’s ok to reinvent yourself in your 30’s. Michael’s a collector of many things but nothing sits on a pedestal. In fact, a lot of what he collects shows up in his art. We ch...

Roy Davidoff is no stranger to the watch community, so I figured it would be great to sit down, and understand more as to why that is. Roy’s love for watches is no accident, having discovered his passion for them early on, eventually making a career out of it. However, luxury things are in Roy’s blood, as his family were prominent wholesale gem dealers several decades ago to some of the biggest na...

Today I’m sitting down with Douglas Friedman, to discuss the commonalities between a collector and one of the most sought after photographers in the residential architecture space. His name commonly shows up on Architectural Digest’s top articles and there’s a good reason for it. Friedman always used his gut instinct, whether it was studying anthropology or discovering Marfa, Texas as a place to c...

Today’s guest is Scott Rogowsky. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because you’re probably one of the 35 million people to have downloaded HQ Trivia just a few years ago, trying to answer the rather difficult questions Scott threw at us. And while we all may be used to seeing Scott in a suit through the screen of our phones, he’s actually been amassing one of the largest vintage clothing collect...

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ewan Morgan, Head of Whiskey Outreach and National Luxury Ambassador for Diageo who owns some of the largest liquor brands in the world, from Tanqueray & Casamigos, to Guiness and Non-Alcoholic brand Seedlip. But what most may not know, is that Diageo also owns a fair share of high end labels too, like Lagavulin and Mortlach. And after four deca...

Mark Haddawy is my guest today and it’s not very common you meet a collector with such refined taste in multiple categories. Everything from his cars & art, to architecture & watches, it should come as no shock that the founder of Resurrection Vintage & restorer of some of the most important homes in history, has his collecting down to a science. While a lot of things in life are about...

You may recognize today’s guest as the rare book specialist, dealer, and collector from the hit show Pawn Stars, Rebecca Romney. Rebecca got started in the world of rare books quite haphazardly when she applied for a managerial position at age 23 for a rare book retailer, and you can pretty much guess what happens next. Rebecca is one of the most respected dealers in the rare book space with her c...

Wesley Smith is my guest today and as the founder of Standard H, I knew we were bound to have some overlap in our interests. Wesley is a collector of many things, like every hotel room key he’s ever received, to golf scorecard pencils and bag tags, he even collected every GQ magazine at one point, amassing a collection of 700 issues. As you can tell, it’s all about nostalgia and memories for Wesle...

Today’s guest is jewelry collector, JJ Owens. The founder of Daily Grail may be best known for her work in the watch industry, but her love for collecting jewelry predates all of that. In fact, for as long as she can remember, jewelry collecting has been a part of her childhood. I was eager to learn about the drastic differences between working with jewelry brands versus watch brands, and just how...

Sylvain Berneron is my guest today and I am not sure there is a watch or a brand that has received this much attention in a long time, and it’s well deserved. A designer at heart, Sylvian worked for brands like BMW & Porsche before starting his own firm, and eventually becoming the Chief Product Officer at Breitling. But as a creative, Sylvain was taught by his mother, an artist herself, to tu...

Today’s guest is the most optimistic guy I know in watches, Mr. Justin Hast. He’s a journalist, consultant, and creative in many facets of the watch industry and he’s got the collection to prove it. His passion has led him down many paths, ultimately carving out a niche for himself as a trusted source, not only from collectors, but from some of the biggest brands in the industry. He cherishes not...

You might recognize today's guest from the ever popular show Antiques Roadshow. Nicholas Lowry isn’t just the vintage poster appraisal for the hit show, he’s also the President, Principal Auctioneer, and Director of Vintage Posters at Swann Auction Galleries and for all intents and purposes, he’s a collector. Nicho grew up around collectors, and his family still runs one of the oldest books shops...

Nadine Ghosn joined me on Collectors Gene Radio today and I am not sure there is someone who is making as much noise as she is in fine jewelry. After a stint at Hermes, Nadine found herself yearning for a creativity spark and man did she get it right. Her designs are all about creating a sense of nostalgia from the things we recognize most and using luxurious materials and stones to turn them into...

Yoni Ben-Yehuda is my guest today and we’re chatting about what it’s like to be the Head of Watches for Material Good, one of the most curated jewelry stores around. With a star-studded clientele and friend list, Yoni may just be everyone's confidant in watches. His energy and knowledge for this stuff is immense, and he’s got a pulse on it all. I wanted to find out what it’s like to have a direct...

Today’s guest is what you can consider a jack of all trades in the watch industry, Mr. Eric Ku. Eric can be best known as a dealer, collector extraordinaire, and entrepreneur, all within the world of watches. It’s not too often that a collector and dealer finds other ways to become successful in this industry, but leave it up to Eric to take care of that. His businesses stem far beyond just being...

Today I sat down with Cameron Barr, founder of Craft & Tailored to discuss watches, cars, and our newest obsession Native American link bracelets. Cam’s been in the watch game for a bit now, but he’s always done it his way. Although watches are what’s for sale, Craft & Tailored has their own image and brand that sets them apart because it’s not just about that. Cam’s love for watches is ju...